


Vox Machina: Thread of Fate

by kataynax



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: F/F, Gen, Will tage more warnings as they come up, also no rape will actually be seen, also spoilers for season one of the show, only implied/one weird dream scene, up to ep 115
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-02
Updated: 2018-01-02
Packaged: 2019-02-27 10:57:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13246770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kataynax/pseuds/kataynax
Summary: Fate always meant for Vox Machina to stop Vecna. It just wasn't clear on which group bearing the name would stop him.





	Vox Machina: Thread of Fate

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time writing fan fiction for neary three years, and my first time ever posting it online. I'm not sure how long this will be and my chapter uploads will be sporadic due to my job/depression. Please forgive any spelling/grammar errors and please enjoy.

Prologue 

Fate is a funny thing.

It’s often viewed as something more than it is. Sometimes it’s seen as a river, flowing and malleable. At times, a mirror, reflecting the past and present at once. And occasionally, a rock, immovable and inescapable.

In truth, it’s at once much simpler and more complex. For Fate can be more accurately be described as a Tapestry made of many interwoven threads. Some threads are brighter than others, some too short, but each one present and used. 

Except for the threads that aren’t used. Most are culled early, so as to not affect the Tapestry as a whole. But occasionally there are threads of Fate that linger in the Tapestry, that remain until the last possible moment due to their chance of becoming integral to Fate. These threads are difficult to see, as their beginnings are so similar to other threads. But if one is perceptive enough to notice, and dexterous enough to unravel it fully, once can see a glimpse of another possible Fate that almost was.

***

Vecna the Ascended marched onto Vasselheim on the back of a Titan. Accompanied by hordes of the undead, monstrous creatures from the Shadowfell, and powerful dark allies, no one truly believed they could stop him from razing the city. Everyone in Vasselheim rose in defense of their city, of course, but none were truly foolish enough to believe themselves powerful or influential enough to actually stop the One Eyed Lich Turned God. Only true heroes could stop him at this point.Only Vox Machina could save Vasselheim.

But who truly believed that they could stand up to the gods themselves?

Vox Machina put up a fight, to be sure, but it only took the Dark God minutes to kill each member. Pike Trickfoot was the first to go, unable to heal herself, let alone her family. Scanlan Shorthalt followed soon after, using all of his clever little tricks and leaving himself defenseless. Grog Strongjaw died next, his heart broken long before it stopped beating. Percival deRollo and Vex’ahlia died trying to save the other, and the Raven Queen’s champion Vax’ildan perished trying to save them. Keyleth, the Voice of the Tempest was the last one standing, but even her shape shifting abilities ran out, and she died the death of a beast she was unable to become.

With his strongest opponents dead at his feet, nothing remained that could oppose him or his forces. Vasselheim, the city that stood for a thousand years, fell in little over a day, and the Gods themselves bore witness to his Miracle.

Now, truly Ascended, he became Veccna the Whispered One, God of Secrets and ruler of Exandria. Through his agents, he bends all to his whim. Through his actions, he has proven total control. And now, fifteen years after his victory, he comes to each of you that reside in Syngorn -

***

“-and bids you all swear loyalty to his servants - and by extension him - and bow under his banner.” Delilah Briarwood paused and swept her gaze across the crowd, green eye searching for something only she can see. “And know that all who bow to him shall prosper.” Her gaze holds on someone in the crowd. “And know that -”

“For Exandria!” Movement exploded from the crowd, as one elven man rushed towards Delilah. His weapon gleamed as he started to thrust it to her abdomen. He opened his mouth to speak, to shout, to do something before he burst into flames. It takes him a moment or two to realize his predicament, but once he does he starts screaming and frantically trying to put the fire out. Until abruptly he stops moving altogether. 

Delilah rolls her blue eye. “And know that -” he screams. “-and know that-” he screams louder. “...and kn-”Oh gods, his screams. Delilah makes a motion, and suddenly he falls silent. “... And know that if you stand against him, or with his enemies, or stand with anyone other than him, this will happen to you.” She gestures to the dying man unnecessarily as all eyes are on him already. 

Delilah starts speaking again.Velora can’t hear her. Only the screams of that man. Did she know him? She can’t say for sure. Perhaps if she could see his face better she could place it. But his face is unrecognizable right now from the agony he is feeling, let alone the burns. He’s still alive, somehow. Idly, Velora thinks she should look away from him, from this grisly display of power and stupidity. But she can’t. She can’t look away any more than she can hear Delilah’s words. Words that seem strangely closer than before. 

Velora looks away and nearly screams with how close one of Delilah’s monsters has gotten. 

“Well, girl, will you not kneel?” The corpse in front of her says nothing, only snarls in time with it’s mistress’ words.

Kneel? Velora look around and sees that she is the only one still standing. At some point everyone else has fallen to both knees.

She thinks she should probably kneel as well.

The monster’s hand rises -  
“No, please!” She hears her father Syldor’s voice behind her.

“And why should I spare this insubordinate girl?” Delilah drawls, affecting a sense of boredom in her words. 

“Because she is young, and does not think about the consequences of her actions.” Syldor speaks slowly, as if to tell Velora something and she’s too dense to see it.

She realizes she’s still standing, and drops to the floor.  
“Than perhaps she should learn about consequences.” Velora can hear the venomous glee in Delilah’s voice.

“A-and what would that punishment be?” Syldor’s never sounded so scared in Velora’s life, and disabling fear suddenly strikes her. What did she do? What could she do fix it?

Could she even fix it?

“One that will teach her the meanings of consequences,” Delilah says, and Velora knows she should be looking up, should be looking her death in the eyes, but she’s so scared, and she can’t look up an then-

And then she hears Syldor gasp and Velora can’t help but turn around.

Syldor has a sword through his heart, and there’s blood pooling from his mouth and chest, and he’s suddenly gasping. The black knight that wasn’t there a second ago is silent, watching one half of Velora’s world die right in front of her. 

“Ve-velora,” he gasps her name out and Velora rushes to him on her knees, goes to hold him but the knight is holding her back. Someone’s screaming, and she claws at his heavy armor to get away from him, to move to her father’s arms. The knight starts moving her away from him towards Delilah.

He says something else before the light fades from his eyes, and the screaming woman kept Velora from hearing his last words and she’ll never forgive that woman for the rest of her life, and only vaguely knows that she herself is screaming. 

Too soon Velora’s dropped onto the stage. Slim, manicured fingers grip her cheeks and squeeze until Velora finally stops screaming. The fingers turn her head towards their owner and Delilah is beaming at her with unbridled hatred and contentment. “So, have you learned your lesson, girl?”

Velora spits in her face before she can stop herself.  
Delilah releases her to wipe the spit off with her right hand, then backhands her so hard Velora sees stars. “It seems you haven’t,” Delilah says with vindictive glee. To the black knight, she orders, “Find this girl’s mother and kill her immediately.” The dark knight vanishes from sight.

Velora’s eyes widen. “Please no!” She lurches forward and grabs onto Delilah’s dress. “Please leave her alone kill me I’m the one that did it I should be the one to die please leave mommy alo-” 

Delilah’s hand wraps around her throat and squeezes Velora’s ramblings to a halt. She can still breathe, but barely. “No,” she growls, green and blue eyes shining with the hatred she feels. “They took everything away from me at one point, so I’ll take everything away from you.” 

The dark knight appears in front of them. “So she’s dead?” His dark visor nods once.

Delilah’s grip loosens for a moment as she revels in Velora’s misery, and then tightens once more. “Besides, little one,” She starts to move her hand up and Velora follows, trying to east the grip on her windpipe. “I’m your mother now.” 

Her grin is feral and Velora tries to sob but but she’s already gasping for air. The two sounds war in her mouth and the sound that does come out is a pathetic mixture of both that just makes Delilah cackle all the more. 

“Come, Daughter.” Delilah releases Velora and she collapses onto the ground, hands reaching for her throat. “It’s time to meet your Father.” She gestures to the carriage parked nearby where she can see the silhouette of Sylas Briarwood as he waits out the sun.

Velora tries to run away, but is dragged by the black knight towards the carriage. This must be a nightmare, she thinks to herself as she’s bodily lifted from the ground. All I need to do is wake up, and then I’ll tell Mother and Father all about this silly dream I had.

The Briarwoods both extend their hands greedily to her, and Velora desperately shuts her eyes and waits for the nightmare to end.


End file.
